Non-tuberculosis cold abscess

Am J Emerg Med. 2020 Sep;38(9):1972.e1-1972.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.04.096. Epub 2020 May 7.

Abstract

An 85-year-old cachectic man was found unconscious in his home. He had no specific medical history. On arrival, he was in a deep coma and hypothermic state. He had a soft mass the size of his fist in the right lower abdomen without redness or heat. Truncal computed tomography revealed subcutaneous fluid collection with gas formation. A test puncture for right lower abdominal subcutaneous fluid collection revealed pus, so an open incision was performed, with the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Unfortunately, the patient died of sepsis-induced multiple organ failure. The results of abscess culture later revealed Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, and Prevotella melaninogenica. This is the first report of a cold abscess induced by mixed bacteria.

Keywords: Bacteria; CT; Cold abscess.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Abscess / complications
  • Abdominal Abscess / diagnosis*
  • Abdominal Abscess / diagnostic imaging
  • Abdominal Abscess / microbiology
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Coma / etiology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed